Saving Humanity

Chapter Nine: The New Army

Chapter Nine: The New Army

Jared

Our training starts the day after we signed up for the military. There are fifteen other trainees with us, all of them looking strong and determined to learn.

We are standing side by side in three lines, five persons each. The sun had just started to rise, bathing everything in orange. Holly is standing on my right side, looking straight ahead as the middle-aged woman in front of us prepares her speech. She is bald, with dark-brown skin and a stony expression. I'm a few inches taller than her, but I don't dare underestimate her. I know that she's hiding her muscles underneath the military fatigues she's wearing.

The morning air is chilly, the occasional wind making my nose itch. After deciding to join the military, it felt as if a huge thorn has been removed from my heart. I slept peacefully that night.

"Ako si Sergeant Margaret Agustin," the person in front of us says, her gaze roaming around. "This is your first day of training as privates of the New Army."

New Army. That's what they call us now. The military force of the post-apocalyptic Philippines. Hindi pa rin ako sanay sa mga naging pagbabago in just a span of a few months. The world that I was used to no longer exists. In its place is a cruel, far more dangerous world where the people are struggling to survive.

"You will undergo extensive training sessions that will run indefinitely, until we deemed you skilled enough to join us," Sgt. Agustin continues, her gaze never leaving us as she paces back and forth. "The trainings won't be easy. We will test your physical and mental abilities, determine your weak spots and eliminate them. Should you feel that these are too much for you, feel free to leave the training sessions any time you want."

Okay. That's a really good speech for the new trainees. I'm sure that all of us are now considering if joining is a good idea. I spare a glance at Holly, but her expression remains unreadable. She's looking at Sgt. Agustin intently as if her life depends on it.

Well, maybe she's taking all of these seriously. Maybe she really wants to be one of the Privates of the New Army. Not that I'm not serious about this, though. It's just that, we won't be staying here for long. After we gain enough information about the extra-terrestrial beings and how our President managed to sneak them in, we're getting out of here.

All of it seems so easy in my mind. But after everything I've been through, I know that getting out of this place will be tough as hell.

Sgt. Agustin gestures to the man standing behind her. Like her, the man is wearing military fatigues, his bulging muscles stretching the fabric. He's 6 feet tall and has a shaved head. He seems to be no older than Sgt. Agustin. On his right cheek, there's a thin, long scar stretching from his right eye to the corner of his mouth. It gives him a twisted look.

"This is Colonel Fredo Agustin. He will facilitate most of your physical trainings," Sgt. Agustin states. The man gives us an eerie smile that sends shivers down my spine. From my distance I can see their identical eyes and jawline. Aside from their matching surnames, their identical features are enough to declare that they're siblings.

Sgt. Agustin continues to speak. "I will facilitate your gun training and military tactics classes. Questions will only be entertained after every classes." She sweeps her gaze on all of us, her eyes lingering a second too long in my direction. "I expect all of you to be on your very best behavior. You are under my watch now. Any reckless actions will be extremely discouraged."

There's a long pause, the only noise is the occasional howling of the wind and the Institute coming to life around us. Then Sgt. Agustin nods at his brother and walks off without another word.